Heartwarming Story: The Love of a Couple Married 50yrs Hatched a Duck Egg

Mr. and Mrs. Hirayabu, a couple married for 50 years, who live in Ashikita, Kumamoto Prefecture hatched a duck egg with their body heat. The local newspaper Kumanichi reported the heartwarming story.

Photo by Tak@yuki

Mr. Hirayabu is 79 years old and has been bedridden since he had a stroke eight years ago. His body got paralyzed due to the stroke and he can only move his left hand a little bit. His 71-year-old wife has been nursing him at home.

Early in June, they got an egg of domestic duck from their neighbor, and Mrs. Hirayabu had their silky fowl sit on the egg; however, it quit sitting after three weeks.

Thinking what to do to hatch the egg, she hit upon a good idea, “Let grandpa (her husband) hold the egg.”

After Mr. Hirayabu warming the egg in the bed for one week, it successfully hatched out. The baby duck was named Pi-chan.

When Mrs. Hirayabu takes Pi-chan to “dad,” he strokes the baby happily with his left hand, and then Pi-chan sleeps on his chest quietly as if he was its parent.

Since the couple’s golden wedding was coming in the same month, Mrs. Hirayabu said Pi-chan is a great commemorative gift for them. “We’ll take good care of Pi-chan,” she smiled.